User-interface for providing a stack view of an e-book collection

Abstract

A criterion for defining a collection is determined based on user input or data contained on the computing device. The content items that are part of a user library and which are part of the collection are identified based at least in part on the criterion. A stack representation of the collection is displayed. A content for a foreground of the stack representation is also selected, where the content selected for the foreground is specifically relevant to the collection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for organizing content items on a computing device of a user, the method comprising:
 determining a criterion for defining a collection based on user input or data contained on the computing device;   identifying content items that are part of a user library and which are part of the collection based at least in part on the criterion; and   displaying a stack representation of the collection, including selecting content for a foreground of the stack representation, the content being specifically relevant to the collection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to user selection input provided in connection with the stack representation, displaying metadata content for individual content items of the collection.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the stack representation includes displaying metadata content from one or more content items of the collection, and implementing a priority scheme to select the metadata content of the content item that is to be displayed in the foreground of the stack representation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the criterion includes an author, and wherein identifying content items that are part of the user library includes identifying e-books in the user library which are authored by the author. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein selecting content for the foreground includes displaying a picture of the author for the foreground. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting content for the foreground includes receiving metadata content for a given e-book that is not in the user possession, the metadata content being provided from a network service, and displaying the stack representation using the received metadata content as the foreground for the stack representation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein selecting content for the foreground includes receiving metadata content for a given e-book that is not in the user possession, the metadata content being provided from a network service, and displaying the stack representation using the received metadata content as the foreground for the stack representation, and   wherein displaying metadata content for individual content items of the collection includes enabling the user to obtain possession of the given e-book by providing selection input in connection with the received metadata content of the given e-book.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein implementing the priority scheme includes selecting an e-book from which a corresponding metadata content is to appear in the foreground of the stack representation based on one or more criteria that includes at least one of (i) the selected e-book is a most recently obtained e-book in the collection, (ii) the selected e-book is a most unread e-book in the collection, (iii) the selected e-book is currently being read, and/or (iv) the selected e-book is a user favorite. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the criterion includes an author, and wherein implementing the priority scheme includes selecting an e-book from which a corresponding metadata content is to appear in the foreground of the stack representation based on one or more criteria that includes at least one of the author's most popular or widely sold title. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the stack representation includes displaying metadata content from a content item that has been archived from the computing device, so that at least a content portion of the content item is not resident on the computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the metadata content from the content item that has been archived is displayed with a visual effect to indicate an archived status of the content item. 
     
     
         12 . A computing device comprising:
 a memory that stores a set of instructions;   one or more processors that use instructions from the memory to:
 determine a criterion for defining a collection based on user input or data contained on the computing device; 
 identify content items that are part of a user library and which are part of the collection based at least in part on the criterion; and 
 display a stack representation of the collection, including selecting content for a foreground of the stack representation, the content being specifically relevant to the collection. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors use the instructions from the memory to:
 in response to user selection input provided in connection with the stack representation, display metadata content for individual content items of the collection.   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors display the stack representation by displaying metadata content from one or more content items of the collection, and by implementing a priority scheme to select the metadata content of the content item that is to be displayed in the foreground of the stack representation. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the criterion includes an author, and wherein the one or more processors identify content items that are part of the user library by identifying e-books in the user library which are authored by the author. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors select content for the foreground by displaying a picture of the author for the foreground. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors select content for the foreground by (i) receiving metadata content for a given e-book that is not in the user possession, the metadata content being provided from a network service, and (ii) displaying the stack representation using the received metadata content as the foreground for the stack representation. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the one or more processors select content for the foreground by (i) receiving metadata content for a given e-book that is not in the user possession, the metadata content being provided from a network service, and (ii) displaying the stack representation using the received metadata content as the foreground for the stack representation, and   wherein the one or more processors display metadata content for individual content items of the collection by enabling the user to obtain possession of the given e-book by providing selection input in connection with the received metadata content of the given e-book.   
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the criterion includes an author, and wherein the one or more processors implement the priority scheme by selecting an e-book from which a corresponding metadata content is to appear in the foreground of the stack representation based on one or more criteria that includes at least one of the author's most popular or widely sold title. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions for organizing e-books on a computing device, the computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 determining a criterion for defining a collection based on user input or data contained on the computing device;   identifying content items that are part of a user library and which are part of the collection based at least in part on the criterion; and   displaying a stack representation of the collection, including selecting content for a foreground of the stack representation, the content being specifically relevant to the collection.
 identify a collection of content items, the content items of the collection being part of a user library of content items; and 
 display a stack representation of the collection; 
 wherein the one or more processors display the stack representation by (i) displaying metadata content from one or more content items of the collection, and (ii) implementing a priority scheme to select the metadata content of the content item that is to be displayed in a foreground of the stack representation.